Designers tend to be full of themselves, a bit passionate about their work, and look to create magic in the things they make. The world needs this, however designers tend to take this to the extreme on occasion. Subtlety can be completely overlooked. Take for example Sunday NFL games. Sometimes I feel like I am watching a Star Trek episode with the flashy transitions and player introductions. They have nothing to do with the game of football and everything to do with maxing-out the computer processor. Restraint can be good. It opens up the unpredictable surprise. It's like the Vegas (or better, Reno) buffet analogy- everything looks good at first glance, but as soon as you stack all the food on your plate it is usually too much and is overcooked. In design you don't have to put all the effects on the table for people to appreciate your message. When do you know when you have gone over the top?

The audience speaks.